CBP Connects Portland, Maine | Craft Beer Professionals

Attracting New Audiences

Panelists: Evan Blum (BrewedAt), Rich Bloomfield (Funkytown Brewing), Rob Day (Barrel One Collective)

Moderator: Victoria Howell (MoMac Brewing Company/Nansemond Brewing Station)

Growth does not come from doing more of the same. It comes from reaching people who are not already walking through your doors.

In this panel, we’ll hear from leaders bringing different perspectives to the table, including a Gen Z voice, a Black-owned brewery owner, and an operator running multiple taprooms across diverse markets. Together, they’ll share how they are building relevance, earning trust, and creating experiences that resonate beyond the traditional craft beer audience.

This conversation will focus on what it actually takes to expand your audience today. From programming and product decisions to representation, partnerships, and community engagement, you’ll hear real examples of what is working, what is not, and how breweries are intentionally broadening who feels welcome in their spaces.

Learning Objectives:

Identify practical ways to make your brewery more welcoming and relevant to audiences who may not currently see themselves in your space
Learn how to align product mix, programming, and messaging with the values and expectations of emerging consumers without alienating your core audience
Understand how operators in different markets approach growth across multiple locations and diverse communities
Walk away with specific strategies you can test to expand reach, increase visit frequency, and build long term loyalty with new audiences

Evan Blum is a Gen Z entrepreneur and the Founder of BrewedAt, a media & marketing agency redefining how craft brands connect with younger consumers. With over six years of experience in the beverage industry, Evan began his career in Supply Chain at Nestlé in 2020, gaining firsthand insight into how large-scale operations drive consumer products to market. Fueled by a passion for local business, marketing, and craft beer, he founded BrewedAt in 2023 to help brands authentically engage Gen Z audiences through strategic digital media. Evan brings a uniquely generational perspective to every campaign, meeting today’s consumers where they are.

Rich Bloomfield is the co-founder and CEO of Funkytown Brewery, a leading Black-owned craft beer brand based in Chicago. Since its 2021 launch, Funkytown has earned national recognition, including the Sam Adams Brewing the American Dream Award, VinePair Brewery of the Year, and a spot on Crain’s Chicago Business 40 Under 40. Under Rich’s leadership, the brewery has expanded across Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin, ranking among the top 25% of Illinois breweries by volume and the 5th largest Black-owned brewery in the U.S. He also serves on the boards of the National Black Brewer’s Association (NB2A), the FAME Center, and the Beer Culture Center, where he continues to champion the intersection of craft beer, culture, and community.

Rob Day is a marketing leader with two decades of experience, currently serving as the VP of Marketing for Barrel One Collective, the 13th largest craft brewing group in the U.S. In addition to his work outside of beer, Rob has held marketing leadership roles at Lord Hobo, Jack’s Abby, and now at Barrel One. Beyond his role at Barrel One, Rob is an active member of the BA PRM Committee and contributed to mentorships with the BA and Kraft Kulture. Rob is a proud dad to a cool, brewery-going toddler and always down to talk food, drink and business.

Victoria Howell is a brewery owner and Director of Operations with extensive experience in the craft beverage and hospitality industry. She is known for building high-performing teams, fostering inclusive workplace cultures, and driving community-focused business growth. Wearing many hats daily, Victoria oversees operations, mentors staff, and tackles challenges with a practical, people-first leadership style. Outside of work, she’s passionate about supporting her local community and believes the best conversations—and ideas—often happen around a shared table and a good beer.

finding money in your brewery through margins, efficiencies, and smarter decisions

Panelists: Cesar Marron (Sketchbook Brewing), Chris Farmand (Small Batch Standard), Mike Corneille (Pryes Brewing), Tim Wilson (Caboose Brewing)

Moderator: Adam Howe (GoTab)

Every dollar matters right now. From getting your team more confident selling to-go beer to tightening up production and operating costs, small decisions can have a real impact on the bottom line. In this panel conversation, financial experts from across the industry will share where breweries can grow revenue, reduce costs, and protect margins through smarter, more intentional choices. The focus is not theory. You’ll hear practical, real-world examples of how breweries are tightening operations, improving efficiency, and making clearer financial decisions across all areas of your business. Attendees will leave with ideas you can actually test, measure, and apply in your own brewery.

Learning Objectives:

Identify practical ways to increase revenue and control costs across different areas of your brewery.
Learn how to spot inefficiencies and make small operational changes that improve profitability.
Understand which financial metrics matter most and how to use them to make clearer, more confident day-to-day decisions.

Adam Howe is a hospitality and brewery operations leader with more than 20 years in the service industry and over a decade dedicated to craft beer. He has held leadership roles with Pyramid Brewing and North American Breweries, Drake’s Brewing, Upland Brewing, and Taxman Brewing — overseeing multi-location operations, flagship management, and expansion into new markets.

In his current role as Director of Product Enablement at GoTab, Adam partners with craft breweries, taprooms, and hospitality venues to modernize operations, elevate guest experiences, and unlock new revenue through flexible point-of-sale and engagement technology.

Adam regularly speaks on experiential marketing, brewery-forward tech adoption, and guest-centric service models that help breweries thrive in evolving markets. His work champions the idea that great beer and great hospitality go hand in hand — creating memorable moments that keep guests coming back.

Cesar Marron co-founded Sketchbook Brewing Company in Evanston and Skokie, Illinois, with partners. With a passion for brewing ignited by a gift from his wife Amy, Marron delved into the science and process behind beer-making with an emphasis on processes and quality. Marron’s roots in entrepreneurship trace back to Brazil, where he managed his family’s butcher shop as a teenager. Committed to sustainability, Marron integrates eco-conscious practices into Sketchbook Brewing’s operations, aiming to minimize environmental impact while celebrating the global nature of beer and its culture. Marron aims to create a welcoming space for all generations to enjoy at Sketchbook Brewing, where sustainability and craftsmanship intersect.

Chris Farmand got his start in 2010 helping a new brewery build its back-office systems, a firsthand look at how complex running a brewery can be. That experience led him to found Small Batch Standard. He’s worked with more than 200 breweries, helping them uncover profit through outsourced accounting, tax compliance, and benchmark consulting. Chris holds a BS in Business Finance from the University of Florida and an MBA from the University of North Florida, and is an active member of both the AICPA and FICPA.

Mike Corneille is the president and co-founder of Pryes Brewing Company in Minneapolis. Since co-founding Pryes, he has helped build it into one of the largest taprooms and the largest self-distributed brewery in Minnesota, with a focus on running a high-volume, community-driven taproom. Pryes has expanded beyond beer with a full food program, large outdoor concerts, and private events and catering that drive repeat visits and deeper brand connections. Mike also serves as president of the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild Legislative Committee, where he works on policy issues that impact craft breweries and the future of the industry.

Tim Wilson’s career in craft beer began about 10 years ago in Virginia, though he is originally from New Orleans. He joined the military in 2005, which gave him the opportunity to travel across the United States and abroad. After his military service, he attended the Culinary Institute of America, followed by Cornell’s hospitality program. Since then, he has found his niche in breweries and hopes to continue in the industry for years to come.

Tours & Tin Tackers: Growing Your Brand Through Experience and Merchandise

Christina Boisvert (New England Brewing Company), James Thompson (Shade Headwear), John Kubicsko (Two Roads Brewing), Ross Stensrud (TapWyse), Nick Bonadies (Belleflower Brewing), Sara Harvey (Tröegs Independent Brewing)

Building meaningful connections. That’s what a taproom visit is all about. In this session, we will discuss how allowing guests to see behind the scenes can bring them closer to your brand. We will hear from our panelists to learn how they’ve successfully built a strong brewery tour program, when many businesses are no longer offering them. From Craft Beer Advisory Services data, brewery tours are the most mentioned “brewery event” in Google and Yelp reviews.

In an era where craft breweries are not only known for their exceptional beers but also their unique brand identities, the importance of effective merchandise sales cannot be overstated. Our guests will share how they’ve create a strong swag program, the strategies that helped them succeed, and the impact it has had on their business. Both brewery tours and your merchandise can better connect consumers with your brand.

Learning Objectives:

Discuss the added value unique experiences and a strong retail merchandise program can provide to your brewery.
Gain insights and ideas to build more memorable experiences that better connect guests to your company.
Learn actionable strategies to sell more swag in your taproom.

Christina Boisvert is the Events and Merchandise Manager at New England Brewing Company in Woodbridge, CT. Christina’s career in beer began 8 years ago as a Brand Ambassador for Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers before joining the NEBCO team in 2018. Having spent the past 6 years in various roles, she is currently crafting memorable guest experiences as the Event Manager and curating brand swag as the Merchandise Manager. Outside of the beer world, Christina is an avid live music lover, and you can often find her either working at or attending concerts of all varieties.

James Thompson is the Co-Owner of Shade Headwear and has 30+ years of brand-building experience, the last 20 of which in the custom private-label headwear industry where he has worked with some of the top brands in Craft Beer, Golf, Outdoor and Specialty Retail. When he’s not being the mad scientist behind the scenes of Shade or traversing the land visiting his customers and attending various industry events, you will find him tinkering on custom hot rods, motorcycles and boats. Or Fishing.

John Kubicsko is the Digital Brand Manager for Two Roads Brewing Company in Stratford, Connecticut, holds a Masters of Business in Marketing from Fairfield University, and is an Advanced Cicerone®. Previously, John worked in the sales side of the industry, both for Two Roads and a beer distributor. As a passionate advocate for sharing beer education, John is the Beer Program Instructor for the Bartender’s Academy, allowing him to help educate novice hospitality industry members further their beer knowledge. Outside of work hours, you can find John spending time with his wife and two dogs, or on the golf course.

Nick Bonadies has worked in craft beer for over a decade, and has roots in marketing, advertising, and business development and management. A data-driven leader that is passionate about craft beer and everything involved. Nick is currently co-owner and President of Belleflower Brewing Company and is responsible for sales, marketing, front of house, and also works on the production team.

Ross Stensrud accidentally graduated from UCSD while studying lacrosse and frequenting O’Brien’s Pub. After a brief attempt to justify the cost of his engineering degree by designing pool cleaners (true story) he quit and started programming instead, first websites and then mobile applications. Since then, he has started a few small businesses with friends to bring best-in-class mobile tech to small businesses in other industries. After growing up in San Diego during the craft boom, he jumped at the chance to start TapWyse and serve this incredible industry. He now lives in Carlsbad with his wife Laurel and two boys; Roscoe 9 and Mason 7. When not working you will find him shuttling them between basketball, golf, music, and skateboarding.

Sara Harvey was born and raised in Central PA. She started working in the food & beverage industry in 2007. Sara joined the team at Troegs as a part-time, front-of-house co-worker the summer after they moved to Hershey in 2011. Throughout her 12-year tenure at the brewery, she has held numerous roles and is currently the Retail / Food & Beverage General Manager overseeing the operations and teams in the General Store, Tour Department, Private Events, Tasting Room and Snack Bar Kitchen. Sara has two children – ages 7.5 and 4.5 – and a husband who also works in the industry. She and her family love to spend time outside and are often at the local park playing soccer or throwing frisbee whenever possible.

Beer Before Liquor: Adding a Distillery to Your Brewery

Bill Heafy (ABS Commercial), Eric Meyer (Cahaba Brewing), John Quade (Batson River Brewing & Distillery), Matt Albrecht (River Drive Cooperage)

Craft beer is all about innovation and more breweries are diversifying their product lineup to reach more potential customers. As you seek to grow, expand your audience, and increase profits, adding a distillery may be something to consider. We will dive into why our panelists chose this model, strategies for success, lessons they’ve learned, and items for you to consider if looking into a similar concept. In this session, we will explore the strategic considerations, potential opportunities, and operational challenges of seamlessly integrating a distillery into your existing brewery.

Learning Objectives:

Discover the opportunities that adding a distillery to your brewery can generate
Discuss key considerations to determine if adding a distillery is a good fit for your brand
Analyze the finances, both costs and potential profits, that come with expanding your product line.
Understand the operational challenges and synergies adding a distillery can create

Bill Heafy is a skilled operations professional, with over 30 years of experience in the Food & Beverage industry. His experience ranges from production, R&D, logistics, system design, and beyond. Bill has been a hands-on leader working to identify problems and implement effective process solutions. He is now the Sales Manager at ABS Commercial, where his wide knowledge base will help continue to help manage quality production and improvements of our equipment, processes, and more.

Eric Meyer, equipped with a buddy and a kitchen, started brewing in 2007. As his passion started to grow through reading, brewing (and drinking), Eric outgrew his home and co-founded Cahaba Brewing Company with a group of beer-loving friends in 2011. In the beginning, Eric brewed for Cahaba Brewing on a two vessel 3bbl brewhouse. Today, Cahaba uses a 30bbl American made brewhouse and distributes across the state of Alabama. Eric’s passion for brewing continues to grow through reading, discussing, and tasting with Cahaba’s top-notch team and regulars. Cahaba continues to strive to create clean and consistent products.

From fighting fires to wrestling barrels, Matt Albrecht‘s career is a thrilling ride of emergency heroics and spirited entrepreneurship. Beginning as a teenage volunteer firefighter and EMT, Matt’s fiery passion spurred him into a SCUBA business focused on underwater timber recovery. This venture eventually led him to establish River Drive Cooperage, a trailblazer in the craft brewing and distilling industry. His company engages with both large-scale producers and small artisans, innovating new recipes and adeptly navigating the complex beverage market. Matt’s philosophy? Blend passion with the pursuit of hidden opportunities.

Brewing Success: Transforming Leadership and Performance Conversations in Craft Beer

Andy Risvold (Forgotten Star Brewing Company) and Matt Schwandt (Bauhaus Brew Labs)

This session will be a transformative journey at the intersection of leadership and craft beer! In our interactive session, “Brewing Success,” we will delve into the art of impactful performance conversations within the vibrant world of breweries.

Imagine a world where annual performance reviews are a relic of the past. We will kick off with compelling stories and statistics that highlight the limitations of traditional performance reviews in the dynamic craft beer industry.

We will then dive into the heart of “conscious leadership,” presenting a memorable framework outlining 10 key skillsets and mindsets essential for today’s leaders. This segment promises to leave attendees with powerful insights and practical strategies, turning theory into actionable wisdom.

Finally, we will explore the critical role of trust – the cornerstone of any human relationship – in the workplace. Attendees will discover the three prerequisites for building trust: psychological safety, mutual respect, and honesty. We will provide practical tools and methods to help attendees foster these elements within your team, enhancing the overall organizational culture. Every concept we discuss will come with actionable takeaways. Attendees can expect to leave with a toolkit filled with checklists, templates, and strategies that you can immediately implement to create a more engaged and trusting workplace.

Learning Objectives:

Rethink Performance Conversations: To understand the limitations of traditional annual performance reviews and learn innovative approaches for conducting more impactful performance conversations within the craft beer industry.
Master Conscious Leadership: To gain knowledge of the 10 key skillsets and mindsets that define conscious leadership, and learn how to apply these principles to foster a more effective and insightful leadership style in the brewery environment.
Build Trust in the Workplace: To explore and implement the three prerequisites for building trust – psychological safety, mutual respect, and honesty – in their teams, thereby enhancing overall organizational culture and employee engagement.

Andy Risvold is a successful business owner with a passion for helping other companies create memorable experiences for their employees and customers. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, Andy has a wealth of knowledge and expertise to share. He is a creative and strategic thinker, always seeking out innovative ways to enhance the customer experience.

In his current role, Andy leads an ambitious team who are dedicated to providing one of the best hospitality experiences in the state and they strive every day to create truly memorable experiences for everybody who walks through their doors. Whether it’s through strategic planning sessions, team building activities, corporate events, or customized training programs, Andy works tirelessly to help his clients succeed.

Outside of work, Andy is an avid outdoors enthusiast and enjoys spending time with his family. He is also deeply committed to giving back to his community and is actively involved in various charitable organizations.

Matt Schwandt is a seasoned entrepreneur with nearly 10 years of experience as co-founder and president of Bauhaus Brew Labs, a popular craft brewery and taproom located in Northeast Minneapolis. Throughout his time at Bauhaus, Matt has effectively managed teams of over 20 employees across three distinct business units, while also spearheading the successful development and launch of multiple product lines from initial concept to market release.

Matt’s leadership philosophy centers around cultivating a dynamic and creative work environment that empowers teams to achieve their full potential. His passion for leadership development has resulted in a thriving workplace culture that emphasizes innovation, collaboration, and individual growth.

In addition to his work in the brewing industry and consulting space, Matt is also an attorney who previously served as an assistant attorney general for the state of Minnesota. In this role, he represented the state’s largest executive branch agency, providing valuable legal guidance and representation. Subsequently, Matt transitioned into private practice with a firm specializing in employment law and representing clients in a wide range of business-related matters.

No More Lawyers: A Path to Trademark Freedom

Brandon Selinsky (Beer Law HQ)

Unlock the secrets of responsible trademark management in an engaging and interactive session. We will begin by reviewing what to focus on and how to run your own knockout search to avoid obvious infringement. Next, attendees will dive deeper into what constitutes customer confusion and potential infringement. Attendees will then learn the importance of not only considering other beer brands when considering a trademark, but also the conflicts that can transpire across industries.

Learning Objectives

Provide participants the basic concepts and language of trademarks.
Apply the basic concepts of trademarks by comparing the names and logos they have created.
Design your own trademark and see if it holds up to the competition.

Brandon specializes in trademarks and trade secrets, leading a proactive approach to alert clients early on to potential conflicts, ways to strengthen their trademarks, and how to eliminate overlap with other breweries. When a trademark war breaks out, his extensive local and federal litigation experience helps resolve issues efficiently. He has successfully represented breweries and other business clients in front of the USPTO, TTAB, and federal court. In addition to trademarks, Brandon specializes in beer and spirits law more broadly, including TTB compliance, licensing/permitting, and other regulatory issues. He is an active member of the Brewers Association, Craft Beer Professionals, and Colorado Brewers Guild.

How to Talk to Gen Zers and Millennials

No longer can a brewery survive off the consumption habits of your stereotypical beer nerd, but rather, they must now appeal to greater demographics, with changing preferences. So, why should your brewery go forth on a quest to get new and different butts in seats? Money.

Well, money, and your desire to not only create more profitable experiences, but also give new audiences a reason to return. Millennials became the largest generation group in the United States in 2022. Along with Gen Z, they’ve got money to spend and you possess the opportunity to teach them and welcome them into the world of taprooms. As our industry evolves, you must attract and connect with new audiences.

In this session, you will hear from a mix of industry experts with a collection of real-world experiences and data to better understand how to talk to Gen Zers and Millennials.

Learning Objectives:

Understand the necessity for taprooms to adapt to the evolving landscape of the industry and why your business can benefit from attracting younger and new audiences
Discover the importance of giving new audiences a compelling reason to return and building long-term customer loyalty
Gain insights and practical advice on how to effectively communicate with and appeal to Millennials and Gen Zers
Acquire strategies to build meaningful relationships with Gen Zers and Millennials.

Dave Picarillo, co-founder and co-owner of Twin Barns Brewing Co in Meredith & North Woodstock, NH, launched the brewery in 2019. With a 10 BBL brew house, Twin Barns Brewing has become a hub for locals and tourists alike in central New Hampshire. Offering a diverse selection of craft beers, the brewery accommodates patrons in its 100-seat brewpub and ½ acre beer garden. Expanding its footprint, Twin Barns Brewing opened a second location in NH ski country, North Woodstock in 2021, featuring a 75-seat taproom. When he’s not at the taprooms, Dave enjoys hiking the NH 48 – 4,000 footers and cruising on Lake Winnipesaukee

Michael Varda is the Founder of Craft Beer Advisory Services (CBAS), a market research and analytics firm exclusively dedicated to the craft beverage industry. He began his professional career in market research advising some of the nation’s top universities on attracting students and several Fortune 50 companies on improving brand perceptions. Combining his research skill with passion for craft beer, CBAS was born in Fall 2021. Since its founding, Michael has delivered research to more than 500 breweries in 45+ states and 10+ countries. He’s delivered a keynote presentation at Ohio’s Craft Brewers Conference and other events including New Hampshire’s annual conference, Craft Beer Professionals, NanoCon, and Craft Beverage Expo among others. CBAS research has been featured in FOrbes and held two of the top ten most read articles in Craft Brewing Business in 2022.

Mike Dell’Aquila is the Co-Founder of Hot Plate Brewing Co. Prior to opening the brewery, Mike
was an award-winning creative marketer for industries as varied as cable television, retail, and
sustainability. Mike specialized in mission-driven marketing for clients like Disney, Unilever, and
Johnson & Johnson. Mike’s work for Hot Plate has been recognized by several organizations and
publications. They were named Organization of the Year by the National Alliance on Mental
Illness-Berkshire County, they were a Silver Awardee for the 2023 MassEcon Awards, and they
were also selected as one of the Top 19 New Breweries by VinePair in 2023.

Sarah Bryan, a New Hampshire native, is a 13+ year craft alcohol professional who has spent her career working with independent breweries and distilleries to optimize their retail operations and brand management. Before joining the Maine Brewers Guild as Executive Director in 2024, Sarah served on the boards of the New Hampshire Brewers Association, the New Hampshire Lodging & Restaurant Association, while working in leadership positions for a number of New England based craft alcohol companies, most recently having served as the opening Director of Branding and Operations for Après, a craft seltzer and cider company based in Portland, Maine.

Tony Rehagen is a monthly beer columnist for Bloomberg, and his other writing has appeared in the Washington Post, Garden & Gun, and Popular Mechanics (okay that one was about growing up in a gas station, but we did sell the coldest beer in Osage County, MO). He’s based in St. Louis, where he covers the local beer scene for The Riverfront Times.

Thriving on a Shoestring – Marketing Your Brewery on a Budget

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Thriving on a Shoestring – Marketing Your Brewery on a Budget

Delve into the art of marketing a brewery on a tight budget with the “Thriving on a Shoestring: Marketing your brewery on a budget” workshop led by Denise Ford Sawadogo, co-founder of New Jersey-based Montclair Brewery and boasting over 35 years of marketing expertise within the corporate sector for prominent global brands, this hour-long session promises invaluable insights.

Denise’s extensive background uniquely positions her to provide actionable strategies for breweries seeking to amplify their brand presence without breaking the bank. Through a blend of practical tips and real-world examples, attendees will learn how to leverage creativity, resourcefulness, and grassroots tactics to maximize marketing impact within limited financial constraints.

From harnessing the power of social media platforms and building authentic connections with local communities to guerrilla marketing techniques and cost-effective event sponsorships, Denise will explore a range of innovative approaches tailored specifically to the craft beer industry.

By the end of the workshop, participants will walk away equipped with a toolkit of budget-friendly marketing strategies tailored to their brewery’s unique identity and goals. “Thriving on a Shoestring” promises to empower breweries of all sizes to compete in today’s competitive market landscape, proving that with ingenuity and determination, success is attainable even on a modest budget.

Learning Objectives:

Develop strategies for building authentic connections with local communities.
Master the art of leveraging event sponsorships, contests, and partnerships.
Harness the power of digital and social media tactics, including user-generated content, influencers, and giveaways.

Denise Ford Sawadogo has more than 35 years of marketing and business experience in package and consumer goods. She holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the City University of New York (Baruch College) and an undergraduate degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology. Her global branding, marketing communications, campaign development, and product launch background have been put to good use managing her and her husband’s New Jersey-based microbrewery and tasting room– Montclair Brewery, since 2018. She heads up all marketing, HR and community engagement efforts for Montclair Brewery. Denise is a resident of Montclair and a mom to a young adult son. In addition to being a founding member of the National Black Brewer’s Association, she is also a board member of the newly merged New Jersey Brewers Guild.

Pouring Profits: Empower Your Team to Elevate Sales and Customer Experience

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Dan Hornbrook and Josh Lindsay (MarketMyBrewery)

This interactive workshop is designed to equip craft brewery owners and managers with the tools and techniques necessary to train their staff in enhancing sales and creating memorable customer experiences. Participants will engage in a hands-on activity to understand the art of staff training, effective communication for optimal staff learning, and effective sales strategies tailored to the modern day craft beer industry to elevate customer experience.

Learning Objectives:

To understand the importance of staff education in optimizing sales, and to learn strategies for training staff efficiently without over complication.
To identify key selling points unique to craft beer that staff can communicate to customers and to practice and develop storytelling techniques that create engaging customer experiences.
To develop a basic, accessible beer education program for staff members.

Dan Hornbrook has been in the adult beverage industry for over 14 years, emphasizing the craft beer side for the past 9 years. Having spent time on the supplier side with a national craft brewery, and the former years on the distribution side. With a passion for craft beer, only matched by that for the fellowship of the people in the collaborative space of craft beer, Dan is eager to maximize the impact a platform like MarketMyBrewery™ can have to provide resources and tools to independent brewers directly.

Josh Lindsay is an Advanced Cicerone® and the Product Activation Consultant for BrewLogix, where he specializes in driving on-premise profitability through their technology platforms. His primary focus is on helping brewers effortlessly promote their products and taproom taproom experiences to help attract and retain ideal customers.

Tap Talks: 3 18-minute sessions on critical topics

Fast Times at Hophead High: A Status Update on the Current Market

Christopher Holden (Director of Sales and Marketing, The Hop Guild)

Fast Times at Hophead High is a fun and constructive overview of the current hop industry. The issues that growers and merchants are facing and touching on how the current situation happened. We will discuss how the current global markets are affecting the surplus compared to past surpluses. Lastly, you will gain tools to navigate through these issues without creating a shortage and substantially effecting their beer.

Supplier Friction: Strategies for Smooth Vendor Relationships

Bryan Richards (Sales Manager, G4 Kegs)

Do your supplier relationships ever feel like a never-ending game of tug-of-war? It often seems like the “rising tide” mantra that the craft beer industry touts towards friendly competition doesn’t quite translate into as friendly B2B relationships. The reality is, most vendors share the same passion for communal success that you do. They exist to help—not hinder—you. This fast and casual talk, teased with cringeworthy anecdotes, will support the perspective that healthy supplier relationships are only good for business.

Mash Mastery: Harnessing Nature’s Influence for Brewing Brilliance

Galen Smith (Southeast Craft Sales Manager, Malteurop Malting Company)

When mother nature throws us a curveball, as it has in the past few years, it is crucial to understand the effects nature has on barley growth, and in turn, the impact it has on the brewing process and final product. Learning how maltsters use this knowledge to improve barley malt quality through the use of naturally present enzymes, and exogenous enzymes to deliver consistency. This has a direct relationship with how brewers use malt in their process, and how they can also benefit from the use of exogenous enzymes to improve brewhouse performance to deliver quality and consistency of their beers. In addition to process adjustments in malting and brewing, it is equally important that communication between the brewer and the maltster is open and frequent. By maintaining open dialog, the maltster can provide vital information that can help the brewer use malt efficiently. Conversely, the brewer can provide feedback on how the material is performing in the brewhouse, so that the maltster can make necessary changes to meet the requirements of the brewer. illuminating the similar obstacles that maltsters and brewers share, we can have a better understanding of how we can adapt to environmental changes to further the quality of beer and sustainability and longevity of our industry.

How to Build Your Brewery Key Metrics Dashboard

Moderator: Kary Shumway (Craft Brewery Financial Training.com)

Panelists: Erol Moe (Stoneface Brewing Co.), Nicole Carrier (Throwback Brewery)

In this session you’ll learn how to identify and measure the most important numbers in your brewery business. You’ll get tactics and strategies to choose the right key metrics so that you achieve the business results that you want. You’ll also hear from our panel of brewery owners and managers who will share their favorite key metrics.

Learning Objectives:

Understand how to choose the right key metrics for your business.
Learn how to assemble your most important brewery numbers into a usable, actionable dashboard.
Be ready to implement a system to communicate and educate staff on how key metrics work, and how everyone can make a difference in helping the brewery achieve it’s goals.

Erol Moe co-founded Stoneface Brewing Co. in Newington, NH, alongside his friend and long-time homebrewing partner, Peter Beauregard. Together, they have fostered a supportive community around the brand. Since Stoneface’s establishment in 2014, Erol’s dedication to the industry is evident, including service on the Board of Directors of the New Hampshire Brewing Association. The company maintains an intensely personal culture with equal emphasis on quality, consistency, and experimentation. With Stoneface reaching its 10-year mark, Erol remains dedicated to supporting its evolution and the growth of the broader craft beer industry.

Kary Shumway is the founder of Craft Brewery Financial Training.com which offers online resources for beer industry professionals. He has worked in the beer industry for more than 20 years as a certified public accountant and a chief financial officer for a beer distributor. He currently serves as CFO for Wormtown Brewery in Worcester, Massachusetts. Craft Brewery Financial Training publishes a free weekly beer industry finance newsletter, offers online training courses on topics such as cash flow planning, financial forecasting, and brewery metrics. For more information visit www.CraftBreweryFinancialTraining.com.

Nicole Carrier is the Co-Founder and President of Throwback Brewery – a sustainably-minded brewery, farm, and restaurant dedicated to crafting farm-fresh beer and food from local ingredients. At Throwback, Nicole is responsible for marketing, business strategy, finance, and fun . Prior to Throwback, Nicole spent almost two decades in IT and software, culminating as a Product Management executive at IBM. Nicole has a B.A. from Dartmouth College in Economics and Math, and an M.B.A. from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.

Jeff Pillet-Shore (Allagash Brewing Company)

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Jeff Pillet-Shore (Allagash Brewing Company)

What, fundamentally, is appealing to people about “craft beer”? There’s no perfect, single answer to this question — but clearly, for so many folks, it has been the direct connection with producer. As the industry evolves and pressures grow, the community, up-and-down-the-block presence of small and independent breweries can be one of our greatest advantages. But what’s the best way to leverage this presence into something relevant for the consumer? This session will explore how to work to bring what makes your brewery special into every aspect of the customer experience. By leveraging the insight that “letting people see behind the scenes” is fundamental to brewery success, we will unpack “authenticity” and “culture” to help you identify who you truly are.

Learning Objectives:

What is “authenticity?” Every brand seems to crave this concept – but what does it mean for your brewery. We’ll explore how to get a genuine look at your company culture, and go through a process for taking stock of, and understanding, your “inside” culture.
Audit time! How does your current marketing presence reflect what you really hold as your values?
Tools/processes for being able to share these stories (regardless of budget) – and we don’t mean your brewers acting out memes.

Born and raised in Southern California, Jeff Pillet-Shore is Marketing Director at Allagash Brewing Company in Portland, Maine. He has been a part of Allagash since 2014, and previously held marketing leadership positions at Nestlé and Stonyfield Organic. Jeff has served two terms on the board of directors of Maine Brewers Guild, sits on the Brewers Association Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) MarCom subcommittee, and was a member of the board at Seacoast Eat Local. Jeff leads the marketing team at Allagash, handling the brewery’s packaging design, advertising, social media, sales support and more. In 2023, he was recognized by AdAge as a “Breakout Brand Leader” for his team’s work at Allagash Brewing. When Jeff is not working, he enjoys watching movies with his family, chasing his dog through the woods, gravel cycling, and searching for high quality baked goods.

Crowdsourced: A Collaborative Hour of Problem Solving

CBP Connects attendees continually list the ability to connect and learn from others as a highlight from our workshops. We are excited to host a session dedicated to learning from your peers. In this session, we will field questions from you and then develop the best solutions together. Plan to walk away with strategies to problems many of us are facing and best practices to improve brewery operations. Together, we can grow stronger.

Learning Objectives:

Collaborate with your peers to solve problems faced by other Craft Beer Professionals
Discover new strategies and solutions to help you see greater success at your brewery
Build new relationships that you can reach out to with future questions

How to Create A More Efficient Taproom Experience

Moderator: Ron Nelson (Arryved)

Panelists: Brandon Stirewalt (Town Brewing Co.), Dan Callendar (Salty Turtle Beer Co.), Kiel Arrington (Vaulted Oak Brewing Company)

Hear from a panel of experienced taproom managers and brewery owners as they share real-world insights into running smoother, more profitable taprooms. These industry pros will discuss how to streamline operations with smart technology, track key performance metrics to boost efficiency, empower staff with effective tools, and keep inventory and production in sync. This engaging conversation is packed with actionable tips for anyone looking to elevate their taproom experience.

Learning Objectives:

Learn how to streamline service to reduce wait times and create a smoother guest experience.
Discover ways to track and analyze performance metrics that help optimize taproom operations and profitability.
Explore techniques to empower your staff and ensure every shift runs efficiently and effectively.

Brandon Stirewalt is the Director of Operations at Town Brewing Co., bringing extensive experience from various breweries across the Carolinas. A proud North Carolina native, he has deep ties to the state and has lived in Charlotte since attending UNC Charlotte. Brandon’s passion for craft beer goes beyond the beverage itself; he values the community and culture it fosters. Outside of work, he enjoys live music, often with great company. His love for craft beer and the arts reflects his commitment to celebrating the unique experiences and vibrant local culture of North Carolina.

Daniel Callender is a founder and co-owner of Salty Turtle Beer Company in Surf City, established in 2017. He takes on the role of General Manager for the company and heads operations at their new satellite taproom in Raleigh. Originally from San Diego, CA and former United States Marine, he now calls this beautiful state home. Daniel enjoys spending time with his Wife, Son, and cycling around town.

Ron Nelson is the VP of Sales at Arryved, helping provide innovative solutions for the craft beverage industry. With a background in scaling software companies, Ron brings a deep passion for helping craft makers thrive. Drawn to the creativity and connection that define the craft community, he is committed to supporting breweries, taprooms, and beyond with tools that fuel their success. Under his leadership, Arryved continues to champion the unique needs of craft businesses, ensuring they have the technology to serve guests seamlessly and grow sustainably.

Open to Innovation: What We Can Learn from Outside the Beer Industry

Moderator: Lisa Parker (NC Craft Brewers Guild)

Panelists: Alvaro Fernandez (Bank of America), Emily Ladd (Charlotte Hornets), Michael Krimmer (Bojangles)

“Creativity is the focused combination of unlikely things. Your mind locks onto a certain element and then searches widely for something unexpected that fits with it. What can scuba diving teach you about agriculture? What can trees teach you about public speaking? There is always some connective tissue between disciplines. If you wish to be more creative, look for the connections between two previously unconnected things.”

That quote, by James Clear from ‘Atomic Habits,’ nails it. If we continuously look to each other as our only source of inspiration, we risk becoming an echo chamber of sameness.

In this conversation, we will hear from guests who do not work in the beer industry. We will learn their stories, hear their challenges, discover similarities, gain outside-the-box ideas, and ask unique questions to inspire you to greater success.

Learning Objectives:

Hear real-world stories and challenges from professionals outside the beer industry, providing practical examples of how overcoming obstacles and applying fresh perspectives can lead to success
Recognize and apply innovative concepts from unrelated fields to the beverage industry.
Break free from conventional thinking patterns by examining how unconventional practices and ideas from other sectors can inspire novel approaches in their work.

Alvaro Fernandez is a Commercial Banking Senior Relationship Manager for the Charlotte market at Bank of America. His responsibilities include leading a team of specialists focused on understanding each client’s unique needs to deliver strategic guidance and financial solutions. Alvaro’s mission is to help local companies thrive and achieve their business goals, no matter how simple or how complex. Bringing eleven years of experience, Alvaro began his banking career at Bank of America, where he has also served as a Small Business Banker. Throughout his banking career, Alvaro has served his business clients holistically to support their growth. Originally from Tampa, Florida, Alvaro graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of South Florida. He resides in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Emily Ladd is the Senior Director of Game Presentation for the Charlotte Hornets. An Indiana native, she has spent her entire career with the Hornets and is currently in her 18th season. At the helm of Game Presentation, she is tasked with leveraging entertainment assets, production elements, and technology to create an engaging fan experience, help meet revenue goals, and maintain a home court advantage. Career highlights include helping bring the Hornets name back to Charlotte in 2014, and producing several All-Star Weekend events, most recently the 2025 All-Star Game in San Francisco.

A North Carolina native, Lisa Parker has worked with the NC Craft Brewers Guild since 2015. As the current Executive Director, she is a champion for North Carolina’s 410+ independent craft breweries, navigating legislative issues and fostering the state’s continued growth as a national craft beer leader. A graduate of the University of North Carolina, Lisa enjoys gardening, walking her dogs, traveling with her family, and of course sampling the State of Southern Beer.

Michael Krimmer is the Director of Culinary Innovation and Menu Strategy at Bojangles. He is a comfort food enthusiast who was raised in the North, but must have been a Southerner in a past life. He has worked every job in foodservice from dishwasher to fine dining chef, but has made a career out of the obscure by applying culinary methods and flavors to large fast food chains, like Wendy’s and Bojangles. He has a passion for making food the best it can be and delivering it to as many people as possible.

Building Beer Destinations: Lessons from Charlotte and Beyond

Moderator: Nils Weldy (Rhode Island Brewers Guild)

Panelists: Adam Glover (Legion Brewing), Allison Soderberg (Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority), Jacob Virgil (NoDa Brewing Company)

Cities like Denver, San Diego, and Portland set the standard as early beer meccas, but today, new waves of strong beer destinations are emerging. A decade ago, CBP didn’t exist and Charlotte wasn’t on most of our radars as a top-notch beer city. This session will spotlight Charlotte’s rise as a top 10 beer city, exploring the key factors that contributed to its growth, from community collaboration to branding and infrastructure.

Panelists will discuss what makes a city thrive as a beer destination, offering actionable insights for breweries, guilds, and city leaders on how to cultivate a vibrant beer culture that attracts visitors, supports local businesses, and strengthens community ties.

Learning Objectives:

Understand the collaborative, branding, and infrastructure strategies behind thriving beer destinations.
Learn actionable steps to attract visitors, support local businesses, and build community.
Apply lessons from Charlotte’s success to enhance both your brewery and your region’s beer culture.

Adam Glover, Brewer at Legion Brewing (Charlotte, NC), has over a decade in the craft beer industry. His experience spans Head Brewer roles at Seaboard Brewing and Natty Greene’s Brewpub, Co-Owner/Brewer at Salud Cerveceria, and brewing positions at Fonta Flora, Appalachian Mountain Brewery, and Natty Greene’s Production Brewery. A consultant for breweries in planning and operation, he also holds a BFA in Graphic Design with a background in furniture retail and branding, including designing the Apprentice logo and Five Guys’ menu board. His favorite beer style is saisons, and he enjoys pairing Sauvignon Blanc with oysters.

As Director of Brand Marketing for the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, Allison Soderberg promotes the region as a destination for visitors and locals, a host city for meetings and a site for sporting events. She leads brand marketing and communications across the CRVA, encompassing the Charlotte Convention Center, Bojangles Entertainment Complex, NASCAR Hall of Fame, Spectrum Center, Charlotte Regional Film Commission and Visit Charlotte, in conjunction with the destination marketing brand, ‘Charlotte.’

Prior to the CRVA, Allison held roles with the Washington Nationals, Charlotte Hornets and Live Nation. A graduate of Miami University, Allison and her husband have two daughters.

Before officially joining the craft beer industry in 2021 as the Director of Strategic Development for NoDa Brewing Co., Jacob Virgil had a nearly decade long career leading teams in marketing, operations, and sales for a international media company based out of Charlotte. Since joining NoDa Brewing Co. in ’21, Jacob has had the privelege and responsibility to build on the shoulders of giants to continue growing his family business. He is joined in this mission by Chad Henderson (Head Brewer, Co-Owner), Matt Virgil (Director of Operations, Co-Owner), and a best in class team who care deeply about NoDa and the craft beer industry. Outside of the brewery you’re likely to find Jacob spending time outdoors with his wife, daughter, and dog.

Nils Weldy launched Nils Weldy & Associates (NWA) in 2010 to design and execute experiential events. NWA created the Queen City Brewers Festival, celebrating Charlotte’s craft beverage producers and benefiting community organizations. In 2021, NWA developed “Court Shoes Only”, a beer supporting ACEing Autism programs with participation from 75 Carolinas breweries. Nils served as Executive Director of the Charlotte Independent Brewers Alliance (CIBA) from 2017, which prepared him for his current role as Executive Director of the Rhode Island Brewers Guild. Previously, he worked in sales and marketing for the NHL’s Boston Bruins, NBA’s Boston Celtics, and Charlotte Hornets.

Finding Success in the Transformation Economy

Corey Lord (Lord CPAS)

Experiences are all the buzz in the brewing industry right now, and they should be. But what if providing experiences is only the current phase along the path of providing even more value to guests? Well, this is the case. In order to stay ahead of the game, breweries need to know what is next on the economic offering curve and be ready to adapt to shifting consumer demands.
The next frontier for breweries to explore and make a stand is the transformation economy. More and more customers are demanding experiences that not only are enjoyable but also address their personal growth needs and fulfillment in their interactions with businesses, and breweries are no exception.

Breweries are uniquely positioned to provide a transformative experience through education, special events, sustainability practices, being a third space for communities, and much more.

We’ll explore ways breweries can leverage the transformation economy to impact their business and positively track their success and challenges. We’ll also cover different tactics and strategies and how they can influence their financial outcomes.

Learning Objectives:

Identify the different types of economic offerings (goods and services, experiences, and transformations) and how they apply to guests and team alike.
Recognize key opportunities and strategies in the brewing industry to move into the transformation economy.
Gain ways to measure success in the transformation economy.

Corey Lord, CPA, is the CEO of Lord CPAs. Lord CPAs is an accounting, finance, and advisory firm and agency for the craft hospitality industry. We transform craft hospitality businesses into platforms for wealth generation and fulfillment for owners, team, and community alike by being the financial leader that these businesses need.

Crowdsourced: A Collaborative Hour of Problem Solving

CBP Connects attendees continually list the ability to connect and learn from others as a highlight from our workshops. We are excited to host a session dedicated to learning from your peers. In this session, we will field questions from you and then develop the best solutions together. Plan to walk away with strategies to problems many of us are facing and best practices to improve brewery operations. Together, we can grow stronger.

Learning Objectives:

Build new relationships that you can reach out to with future questions
Collaborate with your peers to solve problems faced by other Craft Beer Professionals
Discover new strategies and solutions to help you see greater success at your brewery

The Role of Flavor in 2026

Panelists: Andrew Burman (Other Half Brewing), Katie McNulty (Revolution Brewing), Nic Bortolin (Amoretti)

Moderator: Jason Pratt (Cicerone)

Consumer expectations are shifting faster than ever. Preferences around flavor, style, experience, and even the role a brewery plays in a community evolve with every new trend on tap. In this conversation, a mix of sensory experts, market analysts, and brewery leaders will break down the flavors and drinking occasions winning today, what is starting to fade, and what signals point to the next wave of demand. From nostalgia to premiumization, from beyond-beer beverages to zero proof options, we will explore the choices guests are making and why. Attendees will leave with a clearer view of where the market is heading and practical ideas to keep their taplist and taproom aligned with consumer behavior.

Learning Objectives:

Develop actionable strategies to align taplists, product development, and taproom programming with evolving flavor expectations to increase relevance, repeat visits, and spend.
Identify the flavor profiles and drinking occasions gaining momentum in 2026 and understand the consumer motivations driving those choices.
Recognize early signals of shifting demand, including what styles, ingredients, and experiences may be plateauing or declining.
Evaluate how trends like nostalgia, premiumization, beyond beer beverages, and zero proof options are influencing purchasing behavior across different guest segments.

Andrew Burman, co-founded Other Half Brewing Company in Brooklyn, New York, in 2014. Serving as the Chief Operating Officer, Burman oversees the brewery’s daily operations. His journey into the culinary and brewing world began after earning a degree in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, where he also played lacrosse. Pursuing his passion for food, he went to L’Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg, MD. To deepen his understanding of food systems, Burman obtained a Master’s degree in Food Culture and Food Systems from New York University. Since Other Half’s establishment, the brewery has expanded beyond Brooklyn, opening locations in New York City, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, the Finger Lakes, and Buffalo. Burman’s commitment to quality and innovation has been instrumental in Other Half’s growth and its reputation for pushing the boundaries of beer and brewing culture.

Jason Pratt is a Master Cicerone®, and the President/Owner of the Cicerone® Certification Program. He is a recognized business leader and innovator whose career in beer spans more than 17 years, with roles in both the technical and commercial sides of the industry. After passing the Master Cicerone® exam in 2015, he transitioned from leading beer education efforts for Molson Coors to the marketing team, where he was Director of Beverage Innovation for North America. In that role, he developed several successful brands that launched both domestically and internationally.

Katie McNulty is the Director of Marketing at Revolution Brewing, where she leads marketing strategy across the brewery’s craft beer and THC-infused beverage portfolios. Katie began her career in advertising, spending eight years at global agencies developing campaigns for leading brands such as Anheuser-Busch, High Noon, UnitedHealthcare and Kellogg’s. The majority of her career was spent working across the Anheuser-Busch craft and import portfolio, as well as iconic lager brand families — Michelob Ultra, Bud Light, Budweiser, and Stella Artois. Her passion for craft beer and deep love for the city of Chicago brought her to Revolution Brewing in April 2023.

Nic Bortolin has enjoyed a 15-year career as a Head Brewer throughout Southern California, two decades of homebrewing experience, and is a graduate of the American Brewers Guild Brewing Science and Engineering program. His dedication to quality and innovation has earned him a total of 8 GABF and World Beer Cup awards, recognition as California Craft Brewery of the Year, and numerous local and international awards. Nic’s decade-long history as an Amoretti customer highlights his strong trust in the brand. He now guides brewers on how to optimize the use of Amoretti’s extensive industry-leading catalogue of premium brewing ingredients. He plays a crucial role in the research and development of new products and is a free resource for brewers looking to develop new award-winning recipes.

Tap Talks: 3 18-minute sessions on critical topics

Ales over Algorithms!

Ross Stensrud (TapWyse)

Thousands of years ago, the taproom gave birth to modern society! Today the taproom is absolutely critical to the future of humankind. In a world riddled with algorithms and artificial intelligence, people need human to human connection now more than at any point in our short history on this planet. How can the taproom co-exist with technology, compete with mega-corps and win with our backs against the wall? Here’s why Craft Beer will come out on top and how to take part in the greatest underdog story ever told.

New NA Opportunities, New Audiences

Dawn Kirchner (Full Circle Brewgarden)

Craft beer, the reason we’re here! It’s our love and the foundation of our businesses. But how can we adapt to changing trends without sacrificing the passion that brought us to the industry? Find out how to expand your menus, minus the alcohol, to include new tastes, preferences, and dietary restrictions, and perhaps gain a few new fans in the process.

Lovin’ on Local: Keeping Consumers Close

Kate Conway (Pickett Brewing)

This Tap Talk will use Maryland as a case study for emphasizing the choice and impact of drinking local products in restaurants, bottle shops, events and beyond. Key takeaways will include data points that support choosing local products, possibilities for funding to grow initiatives that promote local craft and working with state guilds to strengthen the power of this message.

Bitter Honesty: How Malört Turned Hate Into a Disruptive Brand Strategy

Tremaine Atkinson, Anna Sokratov, Zach Jarosz (CH Distillery, home of Jeppson’s Malört)

Malört is a cultural phenomenon built on wormwood, Chicago grit, and the kind of brutal honesty you can taste. In this session, Malört’s marketing and leadership team will unpack how a once-niche shot grew into a nationally recognized brand without changing the recipe or compromising its identity. We’ll share the origin story behind one of America’s most infamously polarizing beverages and dig into why embracing the hate can be a powerful tool rather than a liability.
Attendees will learn how Malört continues to find growth in a market where consumers are drinking less overall – yet not drinking less Malört – by leaning into curiosity, self-deprecating humor, and genuine storytelling. We’ll discuss how packaging innovations, unique collaborations, national distribution expansion, and a cult-like social following have led to success.

Most of all, this session is about empowering brands to be authentically themselves. When you start owning your voice, you cut through the noise. Attendees will walk away entertained, educated and armed with tangible examples for building brand loyalty, one shot at a time.

Learning Objectives:

Attendees will learn how brand authenticity, even when it’s polarizing, can be a strategic advantage that drives cultural relevance, loyalty, and growth.

CH Distillery is the home of Jeppson’s Malört, the famously bitter Chicago spirit turned national phenomenon. Leading the charge is CEO and Founder Tremaine Atkinson, whose passion for craft beverages and Chicago’s hospitality culture helped revive Malört and expand CH into a multifaceted, innovation-driven distillery. Head of Marketing Anna Sokratov has been instrumental in transforming Malört’s polarizing reputation into a strategic advantage, using sharp, irreverent storytelling to turn skeptics into loyalists. Director of Operations Zach Jarosz, a lifelong Chicagoan and Malört superfan-turned-maker, brings deep experience in food manufacturing and supply chain, plus an unshakable love for the Bears, to the operation. Together, the team champions authenticity and the belief that great brands stand boldly, unapologetically apart from the pack.

Signal vs Noise: Making Better Decisions When Everything Competes for Attention

Jake Keyes (Skydance Brewing)

Brewery owners are constantly surrounded by reports, opinions, benchmarks, and instincts, all competing for attention. This session explores how leaders separate signal from noise when making real business decisions. Grounded in real world experience, the conversation will highlight practical strategies owners can use to prioritize initiatives, pressure test ideas, and decide where to focus limited time and resources. Rather than tracking more metrics, attendees will leave with clearer ways to interpret information, ask better questions, and make more confident decisions in a resource constrained environment.

Learning Objectives:

Better separate useful signal from the noise that comes from reports, benchmarks, opinions, and instincts
Pressure test ideas and initiatives to decide what’s actually worth their limited time and resources
Ask better questions and feel more confident about where to focus, even when the data is messy or incomplete

Jake Keyes graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in journalism and spent ten years working in tribal gaming before founding Skydance Brewing in 2018. The brewery began in a co-op space and opened its own location in October 2021. In 2023, Keyes was elected Chairman of the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma for a three-year term. His recent honors include being named one of Native Business Magazine’s Top 50 Native Entrepreneurs, recognized among the OKC Metro’s Most Influential by 405 Business Magazine, and Skydance being selected as one of Hop Culture Magazine’s Top 12 New Breweries in America in 2021.

The Wild, Wild West: Preparing for the Next Frontier

Panelists: Doug Veliky (BeerCrunchers/Bright Bev), Matt Steinke (Go Brewing), Tracey Ireland (Rhinegeist)

Moderator: Tim Hohl (Coin Toss Brewing)

The beer industry is entering uncharted territory. New constraints, emerging technologies, and changing consumer expectations mean breweries can no longer rely on the playbook of the past. This panel will dig into how to plan ahead, innovate with purpose, and recognize the next drivers of success. You’ll hear honest perspectives on doing more with less, building awareness without big budgets, and resourcing for growth. The conversation will also explore innovation beyond beer, why it can be healthy to get smaller, and how to strengthen your community while balancing business expectations in an unpredictable market.

Learning Objectives:

Identify the key shifts reshaping the beer industry and why old growth playbooks no longer apply
Learn how to plan, prioritize, and innovate when resources are limited and uncertainty is high
Understand practical ways breweries can build awareness and momentum without large marketing budgets
Explore when getting smaller, more focused, or more local can be a strategic move that strengthens both the business and the community

Doug Veliky is a CPA who led Internal Audit at Reyes Holdings from 2009-2016. His love of craft beer led him to create his social media presence under the handle @beeraficionado, as well as his industry Substack Beer Crunchers. Content helped open the opportunity to join Revolution Brewing as their CFO in 2016, then eventually evolve into their CMO in 2021. This past year, Doug joined BrightBev as a Partner, where he and his partner Jeff work with early stage start-up beverage founders on their route to market strategies and execution. Doug continues to actively create content and in late 2025, Beer Crunchers won Best Blog / Newsletter from the NA Guild of Beer Writers.

Matt Steinke is the Head of Sales at Go Brewing, where he leads commercial strategy and distribution expansion for one of the emerging brands in the non-alcoholic beer space. With a career spanning leadership roles at Anheuser-Busch InBev and Rhinegeist Brewery, Steinke brings deep expertise in scaling brands, building wholesaler networks, and executing go-to-market strategies. He also has a strong background in national accounts, developing partnerships with key retailers and driving alignment across large-scale customers. Known for his high-energy leadership style and strategic mindset, he plays a key role in expanding Go Brewing’s presence in the rapidly evolving NA beverage category.

Tim Hohl spent more than two decades telling other people’s stories on the radio before deciding to build something of his own: a brewery, and the stories that came with it. As the founder of Coin Toss Brewing in Oregon City, Tim built a neighborhood taproom from the ground up before returning to his storytelling roots. His latest project, The Narrative Studio, helps breweries and small businesses capture and use their stories, work that extends to collecting oral histories for the Oregon Hops and Beer Archive at Oregon State University. Tim lives in West Linn with his wife Val, and when he’s not chasing a good story, you’ll find him on his bike, in his garden, or at a baseball game with a balanced IPA in hand.

Tracey Ireland is the Vice President of Marketing at Rhinegeist Brewery, Ohio’s largest craft brewery and one of the Top 20 independent craft breweries in the U.S. She joined Rhinegeist in 2015 as the company’s first marketing leader, working directly with the founder to build and scale the brand across new categories, brands, and channels.

Today, Tracey leads brand, creative, content, digital, and eCommerce, partnering with sales, production, and executive leadership to drive portfolio strategy, new brand development, and go-to-market execution. She is known for strong judgment and collaborative leadership, with a deep belief that strong brands are built by strong teams.

Open to Innovation: What We Can Learn from Outside the Beer Industry

Panelists: Aaron Campos (Dark Matter Coffee), Andy Blackburn (Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field Events), Brendan Kelly (The Lawrence Arms)

Moderator: Dan Abel (Pilot Project)

“Creativity is the focused combination of unlikely things. Your mind locks onto a certain element and then searches widely for something unexpected that fits with it. What can scuba diving teach you about agriculture? What can trees teach you about public speaking? There is always some connective tissue between disciplines. If you wish to be more creative, look for the connections between two previously unconnected things.”

That quote, by James Clear from ‘Atomic Habits,’ nails it. If we continuously look to each other as our only source of inspiration, we risk becoming an echo chamber of sameness.

In this conversation, we will hear from guests who do not work in the beer industry. We will learn their stories, hear their challenges, discover similarities, gain outside-the-box ideas, and ask unique questions to inspire you to greater success.

Learning Objectives:

Hear real-world stories and challenges from professionals outside the beer industry, providing practical examples of how overcoming obstacles and applying fresh perspectives can lead to success
Recognize and apply innovative concepts from unrelated fields to the beverage industry.
Break free from conventional thinking patterns by examining how unconventional practices and ideas from other sectors can inspire novel approaches in their work.

Brendan Kelly has been a driving force in Chicago punk rock since his teens. Best known as bassist and co-vocalist of The Lawrence Arms, he built his career on DIY ethos, sharp storytelling, and a healthy dose of irreverent humor. A Northwestern graduate, Kelly also created the viral Nihilist Arby’s persona, blending absurdism with cultural commentary. Whether on stage or online, he brings wit, heart, and an unapologetically independent perspective to every room he steps into.

Dan Abel is the Co-Founder and CEO of Pilot Project Brewing, a beverage incubator based in Chicago and Milwaukee. Described as a “recording studio for the beverage industry,” he has helped launch 23 brands, scaled Pilot to eight-figure revenue, and led its recognition as the #8 fastest-growing food and beverage company by Inc. 5000. Under his leadership, Pilot has expanded to 3 locations—with 2 more on the horizon—and partnered with comedian John Mulaney to create a non-alcoholic brand. Previously, Abel spent five years at Google/YouTube before serving as CMO at Reverb.com, where he helped drive its nine-figure acquisition by Etsy. He lives in Highland Park, Illinois, with his wife, two kids, dog, and an ever-growing guitar collection.

The People and the Process: Real World Tools to Lead, Protect, & Support Your Team

Jessica Hart (Jessica Hart Consulting)

Managing people is hard. Managing people in a brewery — where alcohol is part of the product, teams interact directly with the public, and roles change throughout the day — adds another layer of complexity. In this environment, informal practices and “we’ve always done it this way” decisions can quietly create risk.

This 60-minute interactive session uses real, anonymized brewery stories to show how everyday people decisions can resurface later as audits, investigations, or costly mistakes. Attendees will hear how a misunderstanding — not misconduct — triggered a Department of Labor audit, and why a single undocumented workaround from years earlier resulted in a significant fine. They’ll also explore a story where untracked shift beers and after-hours cleanup led to an investigation, and how unclear boundaries and dishonesty — not alcohol itself — became the real issue.

The session then shifts from stories to action. Leaders will walk through a practical self-check of common people and pay risk areas, including tip credit use, tip and service charge documentation, salaried classification thresholds, and pay stub clarity. Participants will work in table groups to assess a realistic brewery scenario, identify red flags, and discuss how they would respond.

This session is designed to be practical, engaging, and immediately useful — helping brewery leaders leave with clearer instincts, better questions, and simple steps they can take back to their operation.

Learning Objectives:

Understand how everyday shortcuts and missing documentation can create serious risk, and learn what to document, when, and why to protect your business and team.
Learn why informal practices and inconsistent rules create the biggest risk during investigations, and how clearly defining, tracking, and setting boundaries protects both leaders and staff.
Gain a practical checklist to identify common wage, tip, and classification risks and know which questions to ask to reduce exposure and stay compliant.

Jessica Hart, MBA is the founder of Jessica Hart Consulting, where she helps craft beverage and hospitality businesses build people systems that actually work in the real world. Her experience spans large, well-known brands like Heineken and Lagunitas, growing regional producers like CaliCraft, and small, single-brewer operations navigating growth for the first time.
Jessica specializes in the in-between space where good intentions, fast growth, and limited process often collide. She supports leaders with HR audits, role clarity, compensation strategy, and practical compliance — always with an eye toward protecting both the business and the people behind it.

Known for her relatable stories and straight-talk approach, Jessica brings a mix of humor, honesty, and real-world lessons to every room. She believes clear processes make it easier to lead, easier to scale, and easier to keep good people — especially in an industry built on community.

Turning Taproom Regulars Into Super Fans

Panelists: Cody Lannom (Cedar City Brewing Company), Kevin ‘Swirv’ Irvin (Atlantucky), Sarah Purvis (Nurvis Purvis)

Moderator: Ross Stensrud (TapWyse)

What if you never had another new customer? How would you make your current audience even more valuable?

In this session, we’ll focus on actionable strategies to help you increase guest spending, build loyalty, and keep people coming back more often. From creative promotions to enhancing the guest experience, you’ll walk away with tools to drive higher revenue per visitor. Discover the power of focusing on your current audience and turning them into passionate super fans. It’s about making every guest count.

Learning Objectives:

Learn practical ways to increase guest check averages and drive repeat visits through loyalty programs, memorable events, front of house training, and continuous improvement in the guest experience
Explore creative strategies from brewery owners on how to strengthen loyalty and turn casual visitors into passionate super fans
Understand how to identify meaningful guest experience signals and use them to improve consistency, recognize strong performance, and make smarter decisions across the business
Walk away with a clear playbook of customer experience strategies you can put into action right away to boost spending and repeat visits from your current audience

Cody Lannom is one of three Operating Partners at Cedar City Brewing, a fast-casual hospitality and beverage production brand based in Lebanon, Tennessee, serving more than 65,000 guests annually and generating over $2.5M in gross revenue. He leads guest acquisition, brand development, and community-focused programming, with responsibilities spanning brand management, digital marketing, loyalty initiatives, live events, merchandising, packaging, and wholesale distribution.

He has built and operated a self-distributed wholesale program for packaged kegs and cans, produced ticketed events and large-scale festivals in partnership with the local municipality, and remains closely involved in brewing operations, compliance, and regulatory oversight. He also serves on the board of the Tennessee Brewers Guild.

Kevin “Swirv” Irvin is a nationally recognized advocate for equity in craft beer. A Pittsburgh native rooted in Atlanta by way of West Palm Beach, Florida, he serves as President of the Georgia Craft Brewers Guild—the first Black president of any state brewers guild in U.S. history. He is Co-Owner of Draught Season, a craft beer lifestyle brand, Operations Manager at Atlantucky Brewing, and Director of Strategy for the Crafted For Action Craft Beverage Conference. Kevin builds culture-driven campaigns that fuse beer with community, fashion, and music—expanding opportunity, visibility, and ownership across the industry nationwide.

Ross Stensrud accidentally graduated from UCSD while studying lacrosse and spending plenty of time at O’Brien’s. After a brief stint designing pool cleaners (yes, really) in an effort to justify the cost of his degree, he pivoted and began recruiting smart friends to help build app marketing tech for local businesses—starting with music, then golf, and now craft beer with TapWyse. He lives in Carlsbad with his wife Laurel and their two boys, Roscoe (11) and Mason (9). When he’s not working, you’ll likely find him biking down PCH or shuttling his kids to basketball, golf, music, and skateboarding.

Sarah Purvis is the co-owner of Nurvis Purvis Brewing Co. in Carlsbad, New Mexico. With a background in graphic design and marketing, she focuses on building a brand rooted in creativity and community. As a veteran and entrepreneur, she’s passionate about creating spaces that feel welcoming, unique, and memorable.

CBP Connects presented by Arryved POS

Monday, June 10, 2024

7:00-9:00 PMWelcome Reception at Rising Tide Brewing thanks to ABS Commercial

TUESDAY, June 11, 2024

8:00-9:00 AMGather + Coffee + Trade Show

9:00-10:00amWelcome/Get to Know Your Fellow Craft Beer Professionals

12:00-1:30pmTrade Show + Lunch

7:00-9:00pmReception at Oxbow Brewing Company thanks to Malteurop

WEDNESDAY, June 12, 2024

8:00-9:00 AMTrade Show + Coffee

9-10amHow to Talk to Gen Zers and Millennials

12:00-1:30pmTrade Show + Lunch presented by BMI: featuring a performance by Sam James

3:30-4:30pmTrade Show + Beers

7:00-9:00pmClosing Reception at Bissell Brothers

Trade Show featuring:

ABS Commercial | Apex Flavors | Arryved | BarSight

Beer30 by The 5th Ingredient | Beer Law HQ | Brewing Science Institute | Crackerology

G4 Kegs | Harvest Hosts | Hop Guild | InTouch Labels

Malteurop | MarketMyBrewery | Northwestern Extract

River Drive Cooperage | Taplist.io | TapWyse | Two Track Malting

Shuttles to Nightly Receptions thanks to:

Maine Brews Cruise + Portland Beer Hub

Lunch + Music thanks to:

BMI + Sam Jones

Industry Partners

Initiatives

Get Involved

7:00-9:00 PM
Welcome Reception at Rising Tide Brewing thanks to ABS Commercial

8:00-9:00 AM
Gather + Coffee + Trade Show

9:00-10:00am
Welcome/Get to Know Your Fellow Craft Beer Professionals

12:00-1:30pm
Trade Show + Lunch

7:00-9:00pm
Reception at Oxbow Brewing Company thanks to Malteurop

8:00-9:00 AM
Trade Show + Coffee

9-10am
How to Talk to Gen Zers and Millennials

12:00-1:30pm
Trade Show + Lunch presented by BMI: featuring a performance by Sam James

3:30-4:30pm
Trade Show + Beers

7:00-9:00pm
Closing Reception at Bissell Brothers